I told the witch doctor I was in love with you...

So one thing you should know is that when you live 15 minutes from an ocean...the climate tends to be humid. Always.

One humid climate, plus one girl who grew up in a semi-arid climate, equals said girl to be frequently having sinus problems. I find that about once a year, I tend to get some sort of sinus infection/sinusitis type thing which knocks me out for awhile. Even though they are so very readily available here in Peru (you don't need a prescription to buy them from the pharmacy, I try not to take antibiotics, because if Scruff McGruff ever taught my anything, it was that users are losers and that I need to say ugh to drugs.

I suppose that yes, he was talking more about narcotics, but I figure his message can extend into the antibiotical realm too, and no, I'm not sure that antibiotical is a real word.

Anyway, the point is, because I knew I didn't want to resort to antibiotics this year, I began my search for an herbalist who could help me with my problems, though I've been joking around all week about how I need a witch doctor. After Jamesson and I visited a couple of markets with no luck, Jamesson remembered that somewhere over by the cemetery lived a "curandero" who might be able to help me.

And thus, my fun adventure for the week happened.

We knocked on the door, which was opened by a man who was immediately telling us to "Come in! Come In!" It was a yellow living room, but without furniture, only a few benches where some people were waiting. On the back wall, there were two doors, and two little windows. Without us saying one word, and without him giving us a chance to say one word, he ushered us in and pointed us to the closed door on the far right and told us to knock. It was almost like he was expecting us. Weeeeeird.

So we knocked on the door, and a kind faced old Peruvian man, dressed like any typical grandpa came to the door, invited us into his office, which contained precisely one desk and two chairs. The man asked me to sit down, and said "Let me see your hand please" I gave him my hand, he touched my wrist and said to me "You're here for the herbal remedy" And began to reach into his desk drawer. At this point, Jamesson said "Well..she's had sinusitis..." and the man looked at him before he could continue and said "yes" with a facial expression and a tone that very clearly stated that he already knew that.

He pulled out an antique glass device which looked like an old perfume sprayer or a glass air brush. He told me "Tilt your head back" and then he sprayed once in each nostril. My sinuses began to burn, but not a painful burn, just a...Hey this is really working kind of burn, and then about .7 seconds later, everything that appeared to be clogging up my sinuses was quickly making it's exit from my nose and my tear ducts. He then sprayed a little bit on my forehead. Handed me a tissue and said "There...you feel better." It wasn't so much a question, but I enthusiastically said "YES!" Because for the first time in a week and half, I could actually breathe with my mouth closed. He gave me a bottle of his magic remedy to take for the next few days until I feel better, charged me 3 soles (about 1 dollar) and I was on my way.

It was insane. The whole process from us stepping foot inside the door to us leaving with my recently cleared sinuses took no more than 4 minutes, and I'll be darned if know what in the world he actually sprayed up my nose (as far as I can tell, it's some sort of mixture of ginger, pepper, herbs, and what seems to be peruvian moonshine), but whatever he did...it worked and I can breathe and just like always, natural medicine once more has won me over.